Ayia Napa, best place for fun!

Spain has Ibiza, Cyprus has Ayia Napa. Now, I haven’t been to Ibiza, but I’ve seen what’s in Ayia Napa in the summer. And I can tell you is the best place to have fun on this island!

Ayia Napa is a popular choice for travelers of all ages.

Accommodations are for all budgets and for all tastes. We have from hotels by the sea to ordinary apartments for rent.

And of course we also have villas with pool. You will find these either on the beach or on the hills, far from the beach. That’s why it’s good to check the place where the house you want to choose is located. Otherwise, you might end up somewhere you can only travel with a rented car or a taxi. But most of the time, you will have a gorgeos view.

Ayia Napa’s beaches

Nissi Beach

Nissi Beach appears in all European charts among the best beaches. Here you will find the island that you can reach by walking through the water.

It is also the main beach on the island where the fun is maximum. The bars play loud music and maintain the atmosphere with various competitions. The water is not deep suddenly, so it is perfect if you want to play ping pong with the locals. You have a place to eat if you are hungry and you certainly have a place to hydrate.

If you don’t like the prices from the beach just go out on the main street. In two minutes walk you will find a bakery across the street. From there you can get the famous hot Cypriot sandwiches, snacks and coffees. Everything at normal prices for Cyprus.

📽Here you can see how it looks 👉 Nissi Beach

Makronissos and Landa Beach

🚩Landa

The next beach after Nissi is Landa, a little quieter. The beach looks good, has new and modern toilets at the entrance and offcourse you will find water sports. The entrance to the water is smooth, somehow too smooth for my taste. I admit, I got used to walking a long way until I reached deep water. But Landa may be to the liking of those who want to have fun in the shallow water or who come with their kids. And the restaurant on the edge has been recently renovated and looks very inviting.

🚩Makronissos

Within walking distance from Landa you will find Makronissos beach. Highly sought after by Cypriots who come on holiday and by tourists who know about it. In front of the hotel there are canopies that can be rented and where you can also benefit from serving at the bar.

But you will also find regular sunbeds, for 2.5 euros each. The sand is so pleasant there that it goes even more classic, to the towel. The water is only good for swimming and even snorkeling, and if you want to go for a walk, follow the sandy path and you will reach the tombs dug in the rock by the sea. The area is worth exploring if you get there.

On the right you will also see the Marina that is still being built and the yacht port that is already in use.

📽And here is the link to a video with this gorgeous beches 👉 Makronissos și Landa

The harbour and the main beach

🚩The old harbor of Ayia Napa is used by local fishermen but also by boats with which you can go at the sea.

In Ayia Napa you will also find the famous Black Pearl and Jack Sparrow. The price is a bit higher compared to the other boats, but you are also offered food and drink. I’ve never been, but my friends have told me that is perfect if you have children. In the evening, the ship turns into a bar.

In the port area you also have fishing taverns, also very popular with Cypriots and tourists. You will also find regular restaurants in the area, some clothing stores and some souvenir shops.

🚩Near the port is the main beach of Ayia Napa. It is best to go further in the middle if you want to have good sand and a normal entrance to the water, because there are stones closer to the harbor.

From the habor area you can start walking on the seafront arranged only a few years ago. The area is also preferred by tourists to watch the sunset.

📽Check here how the harbor looks like 👉 Ayia Napa Harbor

Where to eat

When it comes to food, you have plenty of choices. The biggest concentration is in the central area, from the harbor as you go up to the entertainment area and to the monastery.

You will find Cypriot restaurants and taverns, a few Asian food places, such as Wagamama, but there are also international fast food chains. In the same area is one of the places you visit often – Karamelomeno kremmidi – where they have giros and souvlaki and many other grilled goodies and the prices are good. So is Mr Tzatziki, on Nissi Avenue.

If you want something fast, cheap and good, you can also check it at Bakery, also on Nissi Avenue.

If you are an Ocean Basket fan, you will find it at one of the entrances to the harbor. Summer at lunch time is usually on a waiting list, so crowded it is.

Wherever you are staying in Ayia Napa, you have every chance of having at least one goodplace nearby where you can eat.

Water park and Luna park

🚩Parko Paliatso Luna Park is an amusement park that you can’t miss in Ayia Napa. The high-lighting installations at night will guide you to reach it from any corner you come. You’ll find everything from the 45-meter-high wheel, the largest Sling Shot in Europe, to children’s trains and other entertainment. Admission is free and you only pay if you choose to go to try the machines there.

🚩You will also find Waterworld Waterpark in Ayia Napa. Here you will pay an entrance ticket that you can get directly on the park’s website or from the various car rental offices or directly from the entrance. You can get here by public transport buses.

Fun area

After I walked you to the beaches of Napa and ate well, it’s time to go to the party. If you still haven’t figured out where the crazy street is, don’t worry. All you have to do is get to the monastery area, or go up from the port on the main street. From there it’s simple because all you have to do is go where you see everyone going.

It’s kind of a one way street for people starting at 9.30-10.00 in the evening. You will enter the old town where all the nightclubs are gathered, of your choice, for all tastes. As I said at the beginning, everyone dresses as they please. Everyone came there to feel good and to have stories when they go home. The area is quite safe, for how many people gather there and how much alcohol and not only is consumed.

There have been incidents in recent years, but generally I don’t think is a dangerous place to be.  In the good old days, in the morning before sunrise, you could see young people sleeping on the streets in Ayia Napa after they had not been able to reach the accommodation. But, this is Ayia Napa at night, in the crazy area.

Where you shop

Ayia Napa is a generous area for supermarkets if you want a bite to grab on the beach, something to eat in the room or something to drink at a better price than at a restaurant or bar.

You will find the Plus, Super Discount and Best Buy chain stores and cheap drinks are at Univers supermarket. Then you will find other smaller stores where you can buy what you need.

If you want something bigger, you have to get to Paralimni, where you have Metro, Kokinos and Sklavenitis. The first two are the busiest and with the freshest goods, and if you want butchery and fishing, you must go to Metro.

For Lidl, the best option is a trip to Protaras. You can go everywhere with the bus that runs in the tourist area – 101-102 – and it has a very good frequency if the traffic is not suffocated.

You can also use the services of a taxi or a company that offers a Supermarket trip.

What you can visit if you are in Napa

🚩The easiest to visit are the Ayia Napa Monastery (napa, ancient Greek = wooded valley) which is next to the bus station, before reaching the very small roundabout. Then there is Thalassa Museum, which you will find a few minutes away from the monastery.

🚩From the museum area you can also visit the Ayia Napa aqueduct.

🚩When you’re coming from Cape Greco there is the Sculpture Park, opened in 2014, which is now full of statues made by artists from many countries. Also there, following the area with sculptures, you will find Cactus Park. If you go to visit them during the day, it is preferable to be equipped for high temperatures and to have enough water with you.

🚩By bus or taxi you can go to Liopetri River, where there is a small fishing port and a tavern much sought after by locals. You will also find a pristine beach where tourists come with caravans.

 

🚩From Ayia Napa you can reach the Cape Greco National Park by bus and then also to Protaras.

 

🚩With the same busses you can explore the resorts of Pernera and Kapparis, but also the center of Paralimni, which is also the administrative center of the Famagusta region after the Turkish invasion in 1974 when the city was occupied.

 

🚩You can also reach all the big cities of the island by bus – Larnaca, Nisosia, Limassol and Paphos. The last one is 180 km away on the highway and the road to get there is justified only if you take and overnight accommodation to be able to explore the area.

 

📽 I invite you to see the area where the monastery and aqueduct is 👉Ayia  Napa Monastery &Aqueduct

INFO

🚩Ayia Napa is 50 km from Larnaca Airport, just over a 30-minute drive on the motorway in the Famagusta region. The distance from Paphos airport is 168 km, ie at least two hours of driving on the highway, where the maximum limit is 100 km / h.

🚩It is the most famous resort in Cyprus and has almost 3,000 permanent inhabitants. In summer there are tens of thousands of people in the area.

🚩In 1974, when the Turks invaded the island, Ayia Napa was just a fishing village and the first hotels had just begun to appear.